The iPhone 7 was billed as a massive letdown long before Apple officially unveiled it on September 7. But, a curious thing happened when the new smartphone was actually released. It turned into a surprise hit–with generally strong reviews and brisk sales. Some of this was due to Apple’s solid execution on the right things: improved camera features, longer battery life, and twice as much storage. Yet, much of it was also due to a master stroke in the expectations game.

Throughout 2016, Apple did little to counter the negative press and speculation leading up to the iPhone 7 announcement. In fact, it wouldn’t have been unlike Apple to have leaked the information earlier in the year that the iPhone 7 wasn’t going to get a major redesign the way most new iPhones do every other year. All of the rumors, reports, and leaked images from Apple partners pointed to the iPhone 7 being more of an incremental update like the “S” models that Apple releases every two years, followed by a tent pole redesign in 2017 on the 10-year anniversary of the iPhone. When you add that to the fixation around Apple getting rid of the 3.5mm headphone jack–which, of course, it did–the expectations for the iPhone 7 were at historic lows heading into September.

That made it easy for Apple to soar over the low bar that had been set. A camera upgrade, a stair-step improvement in battery life, and a storage kick-up that was long overdue wouldn’t have normally gotten people very excited. But, all three were bigger improvements than expected. And while the iPhone 7 didn’t get a full-on redesign, the new Jet Black and Matte Black models looked different enough–and slick enough–to be new and shiny. They were also better than what the tech press and Apple customers had been anticipating. So again, the expectations game played a big part of what’s shaping the iPhone 7 into an Apple win.

I wonder if this is what Apple may be doing with Macs. Low key, no rumors, low expectations, the predictions that are out there are generally modest to dour. I’d really like to think this is a prelude to a massive Mac overhaul up and down the line.